Fuel economizer



. 1,638,015)V Aug. 9,1921 R, N,- MuRAKAMl Filed Maly 24, 1922 2 INV ma;

Patented Aug. 9, 192,7,- i

rRIN N. MUNAKAMI; or PORT WASHINGTON, WisooNsiN, ASSIGNORTQ HARRY w.

' Y BoLiiNs orronr wAsiiINGT'oN, WISCONSIN.

i e ,.{FUEL ECONOMIZER. Y.

Ipplication led May 24, 192.2. Serial No. 563,250. y

Y Y This invention` relates-inl generaftojimprovementsr in theconstruction and operation of fuel'economi'ze'rs for energy convert-'ing apparatus, the invention. being especially.. applicable to powerplants .such asthe Water'- cooledinternal combustion engine unitsuniversally employed for propelling motor driven vehicles.- 4

An' object of the inventionl isto provide a fuel economizer which issimple .in construction and'efficient in operation.

-It has heretofore been proposed-.to `ad-l mit steam or vapor to thecylindersofinternal combustion engines, in ,conjunction4 with the fuel,in order `to effect a reduction in` the fuel consumption.

gines such -as'the ordinary gas-.oline operated forming part of most'standard. automobilev Vrmotcrsto effect permanent 'attachment ofrthe-various elements. v rThe improved device moreovery does notinterfere with normaly operation-.of a-:motor to which Vit. 1s applied,

and has been found capable of effecting an .faverage'saving inthe fuelconsumption vof a Y Ford 'inotor of over twenty-five per cent,

when operating under normalfconditions.

' .A `clearconception of.V an ler'nbodiment vof thefpresent inventionand of vtheoper'ation of -devic'es constructed in accordance therefwith,`may be had-by' referring tofthe drawing accompanying; andiformingapart .of

characters designate the :samev or-Dsmlar i partsxin thevariousviews.`

' Fig. l is.apartsectionalfragmentary sidev `view 'ofan automobilepowerplant `of the '55 Water cooled Vinternal combustionengine appliedthereto.

Such f .appliances `are especially advantageous when applied tov liquidfuel actuated internal combustion eii-Y` automobile. and tractorpropelling motors having cooling systems wherein water is em-V this"speciication, in i:whichlike;v reference'.l

@meansofa bell crank 23 and a connection 24, and thelatterfofpthese rodsbeing Icontype, having the improvedvfuel economizer y 4eFig; 2 is afragmentary top view of the forward portion ofthe apparatus shown inFig. 1, illustrating the manner of passing the vapor-collectorconnection through the i engine. protecting hood. f

Fig. 3 is an enlarged central vertical secwhich is adapted for insertionbetween the carburetor and the engine intake manifold. Fig. 4 is anenlarged rear elevation of the improved vapor injector.

l Fig. v5 is an enlarged .fragmentary partV sectional top view of -animproved vapor super-heaterk and vapor control mechanism which isadaptedl forv attachment to the. engine exhaust'manifold. A

f Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the improved vaporsuper-heater ition' through the improved vapor injector and. the vaporcontrol mechanism, showing` the manner of `attachment*thereof to theengine. f l e. i

Fig 7 is an'enlarged fragmentary front view ofthe `improved vaporsuper-heater, showing the manner of attachment thereof to the engine.

' The power unitillustrated herein comprises ygenerally a multi-cylinderinternal combustion engine 2, an exhaust manifold 3 adapted to receivespent gases of combustion fromi'the engine 2, afuel supply manifold 4adapted to deliver vaporizedv fuel to the engine' 2, a carburetor 5 forvaporizing liquid hydrocarbonfuel and' for delivering the vaporized fuelto the manifold 4', and a cooling water radiator,v G located in front ofthe'enginev 2 for .reducing thevtemperature of the Watercirculated;therethroughv from thel Acylinder jackets of the engine. Theintake and exhaust manifolds 4, 3l which .-are constructed. as elements.separate and detachable from the engine 2, are rigidly` attached totheengine block by means of'clamps 20. The carburetor 5 is provided withthe usual choke mechanism controllable from the dash board 8 VandV fromyin front ofthe; engine radiator 6, by means of rods 22, 26 respectively,Ythe former of these rodsbeing connected with the actuating bell crankv25 by nected'directlyfto the-bell 'crank 25. vTheA -fcooling radiator 6besides having suitable 2, is provided with an internallyY threadedfilling orice 9 capable of beingrnormally closed by means of anexternally threaded @plug oi'cap j11. The entire engine and associatedmechanism 'is housed beneath pair lot hinged readily removable sheetmetal hoods 7 which substantially span .the gap between the dash board 8and the radiator 6. All of these elements of the power'u'nit arestandard equipment 'ofthe majority of automobile propelling' units atpresent `in commercial use.

The improved fuel economizer ffn'ming` thewsubject'of the ypresentinvention is yattachalole as an accessoryito'the type of power unithereinabove described, and comprises generally a vaporcollector 10, asuper-heater 14,:piping 18, 18 forming` a conduit connecting `the vaporcollector` 10 with the super TheaterI11i,V Va vaporinjector 17,piping`16 forming a conduit connecting gthe supervheater 14-'and theinjector 17 and a valve 15 for controlling' theflow of vapor through theecon-omizer. *The vapor collector 10 consists of a hollow casing; orbody having'a lower externally threaded portion adapted for covactionwith the internalthreads of the lil'linp;

Vpipe 18 by means of a flexible ltube or pipe 18 which is slipped overfthe adjacent "endsof the pipes 1&2, 18. The pipe 18 communicates withthe lower "forward portion ofthe casing` of the super-heater 1 4-, 'thiscasing being removable 'from and 'having its bottom formed to closelylit the top of the exhaust manifold 3 of the engine 2. The interiorofthe superheater casing is provided with a partition 81 extending`longitudinally of the superheater 111 and dividing thesuper-heater intocommunicating elongated chambers. The

' super-heater lavis normallyclosed by means of a removable cover28andis provided with control ya y rod129 provided with 4a transverseAstop pm lugs 82 on the front side thereof which form retainersforVertical straps 21. The Ystraps 21Ahave upper extremities engaging thetop and side portions of the superheater 4 111, and

vhave their lower extremities `firmly vunited with the intake andexhaust manifolds -of the 'engmefby meansof 'one ofthe clamps H2O.' :Thevapor conducting pipe -16 communicates withthesuper-heater14through a ie15 having; a yreciprocab'levalve 30 for determining open ,positiongofthe valve 15. The rear extremity of the valve rod 29 is connected to thebell crank 28 by ymeans of a detachable connection 19. rIt `should ber,noted-i ho/weverftliatfthe 'valve Vrod actuating"connectiony19 mayextendV rear- `wardly'to and be actuable directlyrfrom the dash board 87Ainstead of by means of the .choke rod'22 asillustrated.

The lower extremity of the vapor conducta ing' pipe 16 has yareversejbendtherein and vcommunicates Vwith a `V-shaped groovef formedin thevapor injector.' 'Thevapor injector consists of a relatively thickplate 17 having a conical bore and provided with parallel openings '37adaptedv "to receive-the clamping bolts which normally clamp-fthecarburetor 5 tol the inta'lne"l manifold :4. Vithiin the conical boreVof the plate 17is located a rearwardly converging'frusto-eonical sheetmetal nozzle plate '83. The annular `V- 'shaped groove 35is formedbetween the bore ofthe plate 17 and the exterior tapered surface :ofthe' nozzle plate l33, #and communi- Cates at its lower portionYwiththe'pipeV 16 andy at its upper'portion withthe' intake manifold 4through a pair of opeijlingsv v(Jr-ori- 'lices 8-1-.f The vaporsupplypipek 16'is pro# vided with anV enlarged'or Tbulged Aportion 36 and'isspun'into firm engagement withthe plate 1 7. v During normal operationofthe power unit, the engine 2 isbeing supplied with vaporized liquidhydrocarbonv fuel v:from the carl'iuretor 5 through the intake manifold4L, and the exhaust gases are `being discharged in highlyheatedcondition through I/t'he'lex Jhaust manifold 3. 'The enginecylinderslare being cooled by the waterY circulating through thecylinder'jacvkets and throughthe radiator 6. As the water circulatesthrough the radiator 6, the vaporaccumulates in ithe i upper portion` oftheradiator Kne'artheffilling orifice 9. 'S/Vhenthe fueleconomizerrisoperating, thervalve rod 29is vpositioned ias' indicated in Fig. 5therebyproducingsa suction in the pipes' 12, 13, 18, 16 and inathesuper-heater Y14. This suction is producediby the reduction Vin pressurein the intakemani'- fold 4e and causes the"vapor generated'inltheradiatorto be automatically `lwithdrawn Y from the vapor collector v1()vintof'the fsuper- Y hea-ter 14. "1n the super-'heater ltithelva'por istransformed into super'fheated stearn'hy radiation from' the exhaust-marfifold 3.* `The superi-heated :steampasses lthrough :the controlvalve 1 5 and .conducting fpipeilfiinto the annular -V-shaped groovefil:from whence it 'is .withdrawn through :the orifices 84 and mingleswithithe VVfuelmixture pass- I ing Ethrough" the central opening f inthe 1i0z Azle platev 33. The mixture of atomized fuel, airjand.-.v.a.por 1flows;through the intakenan- 'lfol'd 4it'ftheengine'c-ylinders. slt" willthus the noted that the operation oftheituelieccn-Y omizer is entirely automatic, and is controllable at willby means of the control valve 15.

The fuel economizer may be readily attached without modifying theexisting engine structure further than to remove the portion 2'? of thehood 7, to existing automobile units. The installation of this accessoryand the subsequent operation thereof, may be effected by a novice, andthe vaccessory may be readily removed ifnot desired. The simplicity ofthe device permits manu* facture and sale thereof at minimum cost, byvirtue ofthe fact that structure forming part of the standard automobilemotor may be utilized to effect permanent attachment of the variouselements. rlhe economizer does not interfere with normal operation of amotor to which it is applied, the hoods 7 being freely movable withoutinterfering with the vapor conducting pipe l2 by virtue of the cut-awayportionV 27. The improved device has proven itself capable of effectingan enormous saving in the fuel consumption of an automobile motor whenoperating under normal conditions.

t should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention tovthe exact details of construction and of operation herein shown anddescribed, for various modifications within the scope of the claims mayoccur' to persons -skilled in the art.

yIt is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent l. In combinationwith a water cooled in- 'ernal combustion engine having a radiator, acarbureter, intake and exhaustv manifolds, and means for securing saidmanifolds to the engine, of a fuel economizer comprising a vaporcollector associated with the radiator filling orice, a vapor heatermounted upon the exhaust manifold and held in place by the manifoldsecuring means, a vapor injector between the carburetor and the intakemanifold, and connections between said collector, said heater and saidinjector.

2. In combination with a water cooled internal combustion engine havinga radiator, a heated manifold, and fastening means for the manifold, ofa fuel economizer comprising a vapor collector detachably associatedwith the engine radiator, a vapor heater securedV to the engine manifoldby the said fastening means, and a connection between said collector andsaid heater.

3. In combination with a water cooled in# Y ternal combustion enginehaving a radiator,

haust manifold, a horizontally disposed injection nozzle locatedbetweenthe carburetor and the intake manifold and consisting of reverselydirected frusto-conical walls forining an annular recess freely opentoward lsaid carburetor and having top orifices through one of saidwalls directed into said intake manifold, and a connection between saidheater and the lower portion of said nozzle.

5. In combination with a water cooled internal combustion engine havingaV carburetor and intake andexhaust manifolds, of a fuel economizercomprising a vapor heater associated with the exhaust manifold,

a horizontally disposed injection nozzle located between the carburetorand the intake manifold and consisting of means forming an .annularrecess freely open toward said carburetor and having top orificesdirected toward said intake manifold, and a connection between saidheater and the bottom of said recess.

6. In combination with a water cooled internal combustion engine havinga radiator, a carburetor, intake and exhaust manifolds, and means forsecuring said manifolds to the engine, a fuel economizer comprising avapor collector .detachably associated with the engine radiator fillingorifice, a vapor heater detachably secured to the exhaust manifold withthe aid of the same means which unites the manifold with the engine, avapor injector removably inserted between the carburetor and the intakemanifold, and connections between said collector, said heater and saidinjector.

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is affixed hereto.

, R. N. MURAKAMI.

